HUD Publishes New Mandatory Requirements and Discretionary Requirements for Family Unification Program and Foster Youth to Independence Program
By: Tushar Gurjal, Senior Policy Manager
April 15, 2025 — In April, HUD published a notice titled “Statutory and Regulatory Waivers for Family Unification Program (FUP) and Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) Vouchers” (Notice PIH 2025-08). The notice applies to Family Unification Program vouchers and Foster Youth to Independence vouchers. These vouchers apply to the following groups of people:
- Families for whom the lack of adequate housing is a primary factor in:
- The imminent placement of the family’s child or children in out-of-home care; or
- The delay in the discharge of the child or children to the family from out-of-home care.
- Youth who are at least 18 years old and have not yet reached their 25th birthday and who have left foster care—or will leave foster care within 90 days–and are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless at age 16 or older.
The notice is effective upon publication. Housing agencies must adopt the mandatory requirements within 120 days of publication of this notice.
Mandatory Requirements
Please note that the following new requirements are condensed versions of the full requirements. Please read the full notice to ensure that all applicable requirements are being met.
Timing of Referral of Youth Leaving Foster Care – Eligible youth must be referred to the program within 180 days of them leaving foster care instead of the previous requirement of 90 days.
Initial Search Term – HUD is requiring that the search term for FUP and FYI vouchers be 120 days instead of the previous 60 days.
Extensions of Term – Housing agencies must adopt an extension policy for FUP and FYI vouchers. Each extension must be for a minimum of 90 days. The PHA must approve the first extension request (whether it is written or oral). Finally, the PHA must remind the voucher holder prior to the initial term expiration of the date of the term extension and the process for requesting an extension of the initial term.
Residency Preference – Housing agencies may not apply a residency preference for FUP or FYI applicants.
Discretionary Requirements
Please note that the following discretionary requirements are condensed versions of the full requirements. Please read the full notice to ensure that all applicable requirements are being met.
Waiting Lists – Housing agencies may maintain a separate waiting list for FUP and FYI applicants. All FUP and FYI applicants on a housing agency’s current voucher waiting list must be placed on the FUP and FYI waiting list. If creating a separate waiting list, the notice details certain requirements that the PHA must follow (e.g., letting applicants know about the separate waiting list and requirements on how to select from the waiting list).
Local Preferences – HUD is allowing PHAs to establish separate preferences for FUP and FYI applicants, though these preferences may not violate an civil rights laws.
Other Requirements
Housing agencies must continue to follow the requirements in the FYI non-competitive notices. Additionally, PHAs or landlords may need to provide various reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities to ensure access to these vouchers.
Housing agencies must continue to take reasonable steps to ensure meaningful access to their programs and activities to Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals.
Finally, the notice includes a table (in an attachment) detailing each specific policy mentioned in the notice and whether its use is mandatory or discretionary.
The full notice may be found here.